Hyundai Debuts Fingerprint I.D. Tech

Hyundai Motor Co. is introducing a system in China on its Santa Fe crossover that allows users to unlock and start the vehicle via fingerprint scanners.

Car owners and other approved users register their encrypted fingerprint data for the vehicle. Sensors installed on door handles and the ignition button use human capacitance to read a person’s fingerprints, differentiating between the electricity levels in different parts of the finger to prevent hacking.

Hyundai says the system has an error rate of one in 50,000. That matches the accuracy level Apple Inc. claims for the Touch ID tech used by its smartphones and tablets.

The Santa Fe’s system also can be used to personalize a vehicle’s settings. When a person’s fingerprints are recognized, the front seat, rearview mirrors and HVAC controls automatically adjust to correspond to pre-set preferences.

Several other carmakers and suppliers have experimented with fingerprint ignition systems. But companies have shied away from using the technology due to security concerns.